


Looking Out for His Brother

by ChastityHollister



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Lestrade has more interaction with his coffee than with his boyfriend in this fic, M/M, background Mycroft Holmes/Greg Lestrade
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-12
Updated: 2012-04-12
Packaged: 2017-11-03 12:47:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/381492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChastityHollister/pseuds/ChastityHollister
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Greg and Mycroft start dating, Sherlock decides to give Greg a talk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Looking Out for His Brother

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [this prompt at sherlockbbc_fic](http://sherlockbbc-fic.livejournal.com/18842.html?thread=112356250#t112356250):
>
>> Mycroft has Asperger's.  
> When he starts a relationship with Lestrade, Sherlock decides to sit down and explain a few things the DI because he does love his older brother and wants to see this work out.
> 
> The opinions of the characters do not reflect my opinion. 

Greg was surprised when Sherlock barged into his office unannounced and softly closed the door after himself. He wasn't even yelling or sneering.

"What is it?"

He wasn't working on any new cases, and hadn't heard of Sherlock bothering any of the other detectives at the Yard in a way that required Greg to pour oil on the troubled waters.

Sherlock sat down in the visitor's chair calmly, like a normal person.

"Hello, inspector Lestrade."

Well, now he felt bad. Manipulative bastard.

" _Hello_ , Sherlock. What is it?"

He demonstratively fingered the stack of papers he was supposed to be reading.

"You're dating my brother."

Sometimes Greg wished that Sherlock would not comment on private matters he had not officially been told about. Now more than ever.

But if he played it cool, it was possible Sherlock would get it out of his system now, instead of in snide comments at crime scenes. Greg needed a prop to fiddle with.

"Coffee?" he offered, pouring one for himself, and giving it most of his attention.

Sherlock politely declined.

"Did you want to talk to me about Mycroft?" Greg carefully turned the spoon in his cup. He wanted the milk to go in a smooth spiral pattern. His voice sounded a bit absent-minded to his own ears. Good.

"Yes. As you know, I am a high-functioning sociopath."

Greg nodded. He knew Sherlock liked to claim so.

"John thinks it's more likely I have Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism. Psychiatry is a terribly inaccurate 'science'."

A look of deep annoyance came onto Sherlock's face. Greg looked down at his cup again. When he squelched the soft sides of it gently, it made the surface of the coffee jump.

"The important thing is, I do not react emotionally the same way normal people do, and despite my exceptional genius and powers of observation I am often unable to work out people's emotions and motivations in real time." Sherlock spoke emphatically, putting great force on his genius and powers of observation. His eyes bored into Greg's in a way that made him worry Sherlock would come at him over the desk and try to physically jam the information into his brain if he didn't give an indication of understanding.

He nodded again, and added "I know," for good measure.

Sherlock relaxed in his chair, and gave him a tiny nod back.

"You have seen how this manifests in my behavior and my relations with colleagues and witnesses."

"Yes, Sherlock." Greg took a sip of his coffee. He wondered what any of this had to do with Mycroft, but suppressed the thought as quickly as he could. Bitter. The coffee was bitter. And lukewarm. 

"You have also seen that I can act in an expected manner for longer or shorter periods of time when it suits my needs."

Greg had seen him turn on the charm, and expertly manipulate others with warm, sparkling eyes and a ready smile, only to switch off in an instant and return to an utterly cold and calculating look as soon as he got what he wanted. It was frankly disturbing. 

He became aware that Sherlock was staring at his face intently, the way he did when he was checking that Greg's thought-process was satisfactorily not idiotic. He hoped he hadn't been grimacing or looking disgusted. 

"Mycroft thinks that it always suits his needs to act normal," Sherlock said gravely. Still with that unblinking stare.

Greg felt a chill go over him, and he didn't even know why. Mycroft did act like a normal person, but Sherlock was being so dramatic about it he made it sound creepy.

"What do you mean?"

Sherlock huffed, and pouted. He waved a hand dismissively at Greg, but deigned to answer: "He can't keep it up forever. Sometimes he gets tired. Sometimes he's in a new situation and won't know what the normal reaction or body-language should be. He's only human, you know."

Sherlock slanted a look at him from his half turned away face, and pouted even harder, as if Greg had dared to suggest Mycroft weren't human.

"I _know_ he is human, Sherlock," he said warmly. "I love him."

He felt his face grow hot. Damn, he hadn't said that to Mycroft yet. How did Sherlock always manage to lay him bare emotionally? He should have kept concentrating on the coffee, that had worked.

Sherlock wrinkled his brow, and suddenly he looked like a worried little boy, with his pout and his beseeching eyes.

"He cares deeply for you. He's not lying, or faking. He's trying to speak your language, but he's not perfectly fluent."

Greg wondered if Sherlock had tried to speak the language, before deciding that manipulation worked better. He was glad Mycroft hadn't give up on other people, if what Sherlock said was true.

"I understand. Thank you for telling me."

He had a lot to consider. It was disquieting to think about subtle and diplomatic Mycroft not being able to communicate, because what chance would _Greg_ have?

On the other hand, dealing with Sherlock had taught him that bluntness always got the message across.

"Now go away, I have work to do."

Sherlock left.


End file.
